Capsule-filler.



P; H. OWN.

' CAPSULE FILLEB.

APPLICATION OCT 3 A Patented'July 20, v1909.

hlCE.

PATRICK HENRY BROWN, OF TEMPLE, TEXAS.

CAPSULE-FILLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 20, 1909.

Application filed October 31, 1908. Serial No. 460,517.

To all whom it muy concern:

Be it known that lf, .PATRICK Hanni BROWN, a citizen of the United Sta-tes, residing at Temple, in the county of Bell and State of Terras, have invented a new and useful Capsuledliller, of which the folloiy ing is a specification.

This invention relates to capsule fillers.

The object of the invention is, in a novel and practical manner, to facilitate the filling of capsules by enabling the prescriptionist, with rapidity and accuracy, to fill a large number of the same or different sized capsules at one operation.

lVith the above and other objects in View, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction and combination of parts of a capsule filler, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

ln the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specilication, and in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding arts z-Figure l is a top plan view of the ller, one of the funnel carriers being elevated to expose the capsule holders. Fig. 2 is an end View, partly in section, of the device.

The device embodies a base l, which may be constructed of any material suited to the purpose, such as wood, metal or the like.

ecured to the upper surface of the base are capsule carriers or holders, which, as herein shown, are constructed of strips 2 of metal, with which are combined either integrally or otherwise, the capsule holders 3. By preference, the strips 2 and capsule holders 3 will be cast from suitable metal, such as aluminum, or the like, and are secured to the base by screws 1l.

Secured to the two opposite edges of the base are strips or bars 5, either of metal or wood, and to which are hinged two funnel carriers 6, the latter being constructed preferably of wood. The funnels 7 may be made of any suitable material, and their necks 3 are secured in sleeves 9 that are threaded into the members 6. By preference, the funnels and sleeves will be made separately and assembled in any preferred manner, as by solder; but it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to this arrangement, as the sleeves and funnels may be made in one piece, and may be held in the members 6 by cement, or any other manner than by threads as shown. As will be noted by reference to Fig. l, all of the capsule holders beneath the funnel carriers 6 are of the same size-that is to say, those beneath one of the carriers will be, say No. 0, while those beneath the other will be of No. l size, these being the sizes of capsules most commonly employed. By this arrangement, fourteen capsules of the same size may be filled at one time on each side of the device, or a less number, as the requirements of the case may demand. The funnel carriers 6 are hinged to nieve outward from `the base, thus to expose either of the series of capsule holders to View.

Arranged between the series of capsule holders 3 are three rows of capsule holders l0, ll and l2, each of the series in each of the strips being of the same size, and being designed to receive capsules of different sizes, that is to say from the smallest to the largest shells ordinarily used. The funnel carrier 13 that covers the intermediate series of capsule holders is hinged to swing at right angles to the funnel carriers 6, and is provided with a knob or button 14 by which it may be lifted.

As will be observed by reference to Fig. 2, the upper edges of the strips or bars 5 form stops to limit the outward movement of the funnel carriers, or in other words, to hold them in a vertical position.

As shown in Fig. 2, the capsule holders 3 vare of less height than the length of the capsule, and will be made slightly larger in diameter than the capsule, in order to permit ready insertion and removal. This latter feature might tend to cause the capsules to tilt, and thus not register with the neck of the funnel, so that loss of the substance to be filled into the capsule might ensue. To obviate this defect, the under face of each of the sleeves is provided with a cone-shaped counter-bore 15, which will operate, when the funnel carriers are disposed over the capsule holders, to bring the capsules into eXact register with the necks of the funnels, thus to insure a proper discharge of the substance from the funnels into the capsules.

ln using the apparatus, the capsule holders are filled with the required size of capsules, and the funnel carrier is then closed down. The prescriptionist then divides the substance to be filled into the capsules, into as many parts as the prescription calls for and with his spatula supplies the substance to the different funnels, and should there be a tendency ot the material to stick to the walls ot the tunnels or to their necks, by gently tapping upon the tunnels this Will be obviated. It necessary, one or more tamping rods may be employed to seat the substanceivithin the capsules, and said rods may be hinged or otherwise tastened to the ller to permit the use ot one or more ot said rods at one time. Atter the iilling has been completed, the tunnel carrier is moved to the position shown at the lett hand ot F ig. 2, whereupon the operator may readily position the caps upon the capsules and then remove them.

By the arrangement herein shown, the tilling ot capsules will be tacilitated and any loss ot material Will be positively obviated.

l claim l. A capsule tiller comprising a base, capsule holders carried by the base and each provided with a tapered upper portion, a hinged member connected with the base and tunnels carried by the hinged member and provided with correspondingly tapered sockets adapted to register With and receive the tapered portions ot the adjacent capsule holders.

2. A capsule filler comprising a base, capsule holders mounted on the base and each having its exterior walls tapered at the upper end thereot, a hinged member connected with the base and provided with a series ot threaded openings, correspondingly threaded sleeves engaging the threaded Walls ot said openings and provided with tapered sockets tor registration with the tapered portions ot the capsule holders, and tunnels secured to said sleeves.

A capsule iller comprising a base, capsule holders arranged on the base and pro` vided with terminal inclined portions, menibers pivotally connected with the opposite sides ot the base, an intermediate member pivotally connected to one end ot the base, sleeves carried by the intermediate and side members and provided With a correspondingly tapered socket tor registration with the tapered portions ot the adjacent capsule holders, and tunnels carried by the sleeves tor direct-ing the material into the holders When the intermediate and side members are moved to operative position.

il. A capsule filler comprising a base, capsule holders arranged thereon and divided into series ot the same size, a pair ot niembers hinged to the sides ot the base, an intermediate member hinged to one end ot the base, tunnels carried by the series ot members, and means to cause the inner Walls ot the capsules to register With the like Walls ot the tunnel necks.

In testimony that I claim the toregoing as my own, l'. have hereto atHXed my signature in the presence ot two Witnesses.

PATRICK HENRY BROWN.

Wi tnesses J. L. BARTON, Gr. M. GRESHAM. 

